CHAPTER V
MAKING OFF
“Now is your chance, Dave.”
“Yes, the coast looks clear.”
“How’s your foot?”
“That horse liniment from the stable has fixed it up all right. I thinkI could run as good as ever.”
“Which is mighty good—only don’t run into any of the sheriff’s friends.”
“I’ll try not to,” laughed Dave.
He was taking a farewell of his trusty and helpful friend, Ned. Dave hadnever known a truer one. He had kept under cover in the hayloft all thatday. At noon time Ned had brought him a lunch and news. There was notmuch to report. Mr. Warner had told the officers that his truant wardwould make for some “crazy airship place,” first thing. The sheriff,however, refused to go outside the county, unless he was paid for it.Old Warner was too stingy to advance any money. So, it looked as thoughonce beyond the boundaries of the immediate district, Dave would bepretty safe from pursuit.
It was almost dusk now, and the two friends stood just behind the barn,shaking hands goodbye. Dave had eaten a good supper, and besides thatNed had brought a little parcel containing sandwiches, “to spell” him,as he put it, if he got hungry on the all-night tramp he was startingout on.
“I hate to see you start out this way, without a cent of money,” saidNed rather anxiously. “I haven’t got any, and you won’t let me tellmother anything about your being here. I know she would help you, if shecould.”
“Thank you, Ned,” replied Dave gratefully, “your mother too. You see,though, I have plenty of money,” and with a smile Dave slapped his coatwhere the pocket book that had dropped from the airship the eveningprevious reposed.
“Yes, but that isn’t yours, Dave.”
“I shall never forget that,” replied Dave promptly. “There’s just this,though. If I got in a tight place I wouldn’t hesitate to borrow a dollaror two to help me on my way back to the owner.”
“You’re going to look for Mr. King right off, are you, Dave?”
“Yes, the birdman first and foremost, Ned. I’m counting a good deal oninteresting him in giving me advice or help about getting into thisairship business.”
“Oh, you’ll land there,” predicted Ned confidently. “You’re too much inearnest not to succeed. Then you’re going to head for Fairfield?”
“Yes, Ned.”
“That’s where the aero meet is?”
“Exactly.”
“Aren’t you afraid from what he guesses and knows, that old Warner willbe looking for you, or have some one looking for you right at thatplace?” inquired Ned.
“I shall guard out for that,” replied Dave. “I’ve thought and planned itall out.”
“How is that?”
“To-morrow is the last day of the meet at Fairfield, so of course afterthat Mr. King won’t be there. I suppose he follows the circuit, as theycall it. So, you see, I won’t be long at Fairfield under anycircumstances, and I don’t think my guardian will risk the money chasingme all around the circle.”
“That’s so. I guess you’ve figured it out about right, Dave. Well, goodluck, old fellow, and be sure to write to me.”
“I will, Ned. Coast all clear?”
Ned glanced around the corner of the barn towards the house.
“It’s all right, Dave—good-by.”
“Good-by.”
Ned stood watching his friend until he was sure he had got well across apasture lot and safely out of view from the house or the road. Thisstretch of the Towner place was very poor land, finally running into aswamp. The moon was just coming up, but on the lowlands the rising mistwas a protection to Dave.
He got to the end of the Bolger farm and then lined the drainage ditchextending beyond it. Dave leaped it finally at a narrow place, avoidinga wide morass. A little beyond this the lad came to a rutty road. It rana mile or more to the railroad, but as he knew was not much used exceptto drive cattle to be shipped to the stock pens at the freight yards.
Dave had his plans clearly worked out. His present proposed destinationwas Fairfield. He was in hopes of finding some freight train making upin the yards. His idea was to get into some open or empty car, andsecure a free ride most or all of the way to the city where the aeromeet was in progress.
“There’s some one coming,” exclaimed Dave.
He had not counted upon meeting any one upon that lonely road at thattime of the night. With the words he sprang behind a big tree. Then hepeered keenly ahead of him, intending to make for the fence and hidehimself in the thick underbrush beyond it.
The air was clearer and the moonlight brighter on the higher land Davehad now gained. Perhaps a quarter of a mile down the road he made out ahorse. Chasing it was a man. The animal would browse and wait till itsevident pursuer got up close to it. Then with a snort, kicking up itsheels madly, it described a series of playful circles, dodged the man,and leaped the fence at the side of the road, a yard-high wire.
Dave watched the man chase it all over a patch of scrubby brush. Finallythe animal jumped the fence back into the road. It kept sideways towardsits pursuer, nibbling at the grass. It waited till the man was fairlyupon it. Then up went its heels, and along the road the animal sped, theman shouting vainly after it.
This time the horse took a longer spurt than before. Dave made out thesituation, and debated with himself how he had better act. He could notafford to come up against any person who knew him. In the distance hecould not make out the identity of the man. About the horse, however,Dave was surer. The animal Dave had certainly never seen before. No suchhorse was known about Brookville, and spontaneously Dave uttered theexclamation:
“What a beauty!”
Dave was a lover of animals, and this one carried him to the bounds ofadmiration. High breeding, grace, elegance and value showed in thesplendid animal. As it pranced up the road in the white moonlight, Davewas reminded of pictures he had seen of some magnificent charger.
“He looks like a race horse,” said Dave. “He has run away from that man,who is desperate to catch him. I ought to help him do it. If I can, Imight tie the horse to a sapling and get out of sight before the mancomes up.”
Dave kept behind the tree, his plan being to dash out when the horse ranby, and attempt to catch the halter rope which was trailing on theground. As the animal got within ten feet of the tree, however, it letdown its speed to a slow walk, and, its pursuer fully a quarter of amile away, proceeded calmly to nibble at the grass.
Dave kept perfectly still. The animal, all unsuspicious of his being sonear, came closer and closer to the tree in its browsing. A toss of itshead sent the trailing halter rope whipping the ground not six inchesfrom Dave’s foot.
“Got you!” cried Dave in triumph, as he grabbed the rope with one hand,and with the other clung to a knob on the tree to resist the quick jerkthe horse gave. “So—o, nice fellow, so—o.”
Dave talked soothingly to the animal, that, however, with flashing eyesand bristling mane, backed foot by foot, resenting capture. Dave got ahand-over-hand clutch on the rope and finally a firm grip on the halterbridle itself. He was surer of himself now, for he knew considerableabout horses. Still he counted on something of a tussle. To hissurprise, however, as he gently stroked the mane of the high mettledsteed, the animal moved toward him and nosed down to his side, sniffinginquiringly.
“Why,” said Dave with an amused laugh, “the animal scents the lunch Nedgave me.”
Dave did not know what was contained in the package in his pocket, buthe proceeded to break through its paper covering. His fingers closed ona sugar frosted cookie. As he brought it into sight the horse gave aneager whinny and fairly snatched it from his hand. Then it rubbed itsnose caressingly and coaxingly against his shoulder.
“Good friends, eh—as long as the cookies last!” laughed Dave. “Allright, here’s another.”
Dave now had the animal under perfect control. Of a sudden, however, theho
rse pricked up his ears, glinted its eyes backwards, and began to pawthe ground. Dave saw the apparent owner of the horse approaching.
“I’ll stand my ground—the man is a stranger,” thought Dave rapidly.
The man was puffing, panting and perspiring. He looked exhausted afterhis vigorous chase, but glad as he saw that Dave had the horse firm andtight.
“Capital!” he cried. “I wouldn’t have lost that horse for a fortune, andit means nearly that to get him safe back where he came from. Good foryou, young fellow,” he added. “I’ll make it a lucky catch for you.”
“A good beginning in my runaway career,” said Dave to himself.
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